A Prime Minister’s week is often shaped by events beyond their control. Whether it be in the form of domestic unrest, political scandal, or the need to spontaneously hold a COBRA meeting – the Prime Minister has little control over how they actually spend their time. One thing that they do have influence over (and which is necessary for the situations thrown at a Prime Minister) is the exercise of their judgement – the recent revelations which have led to the dismissal of Peter Mandelson show that there are major flaws in the exercise of Keir Starmer’s.
We have already seen a wide range of mishaps from Starmer that a politically astute Prime Minister would not have otherwise made; the unbalanced power dynamic between him and his backbenchers, his constant personnel issues, and a domestic agenda with no structure behind it whatsoever – all within just over a year of his time in Downing Street.
Now, we have since learned that the government proceeded with the appointment of Peter Mandelson, despite there being ongoing security concerns. This shows a concerning lack of judgement within Downing Street that must be addressed.
The Prime Minister has developed a tendency to publicly back those in his government despite not having complete confidence in them – he did so at the despatch box regarding dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and has done so again with Peter Mandelson.
Image: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, Former Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Deputy Prime Minister – Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
The difference between the two events is stark. Although she was in breach of the ministerial code, Starmer was not involved in Rayner’s tax affairs. Even if you disagree over how he handled the situation, that is a fact. The scandal surrounding Mandelson, however, is damning. It shows a clear lack of judgement on the part of the Prime Minister. He knew that there was at least some degree of concern about the appointment but proceeded with it anyway.
If the Prime Minister was aware of any compromising details the White House may have on Mandelson, this makes the appointment even more troubling. It is a major concern that the very person meant to deal with the Trump administration possesses documents or details that may influence his actions, potentially hindering diplomatic ties between London and Washington.
The Prime Minister then went to the Commons and gave Mandelson his support, just to sack him the next morning. This is a Prime Minister who vowed for a new age of accountability in politics, instead he has opted for disingenuous politics.
Attention will now turn to the second state visit of President Trump, who himself has been the subject of strong scrutiny over his personal relationship with Epstein – the same issues implicated in Mandelson’s downfall.
This is significant because by sacking Mandelson, Starmer has simultaneously legitimised any pressure Trump may face at home over the same book, despite the White House relentlessly denying its legitimacy. What this does to the reception Starmer gets from Trump, we will have to see.
The most revealing thing about the course of the last two weeks is that Starmer has quickly lost his authority and the confidence of those around him. Over the course of just over a year we have seen the dismissal of Sue Gray as his Chief of Staff, a homelessness minister who evicted her tenants, a housing minister and Deputy Prime Minister who avoided stamp duty. There has also been a backbench rebellion that saw the whip withdrawn from numerous MPs, the Prime Minister caught in a freebie controversy, a major cabinet reshuffle which has been compared to moving deck chairs on the Titanic, and now the sacking of a high-profile US ambassador.
To think that Starmer has four years left in office is staggering, considering the number of polarising events that have already shaken his premiership. To think that he can go on for another four years is another question. Every time that Starmer has looked to “relaunch” his government he is quickly beset by serious threats to his authority. It is not sustainable for a Prime Minister to continue with such threats present, especially with the impending tax raiding budget that is in the pipeline for late November.
If Starmer is to get a grip over his agenda and restore his authority, he must do what many critics have been urging for months -drop the lawyer-minded- approach and start playing politics.
As we enter party conference season, the pressure must be kept on Starmer and Downing Street to establish what they knew about Mandelson and when.
Featured Image via Simon Dawson / 10 Downing Street
